A place to share systematic reviews of bushwalking equipment, services and idea.

Forum rules
Forum rulesThis is a place to share fair and systematic reviews of gear. Share the good, bad and ugly as well as including how you tested it and reviewed the gear. This is not the place to carry on about a bit of gear that failed, sometimes good gear has a lemon - this is more about systematic reviews. Although this can be a way to help gear manufactures with feedback, this is not the place to hassle them or ask for money back.

Start each thread with [tag]Brand, product, RRP in AUD. The tags have two parts the type of gear and type of testing/review. eg[Sleeping bag | Unboxing] Kmart Summit Hooded $29[Stove | Field test]Jetboil, flash $150

Suggested review types. Unboxing, field test, 1 year on, stress test, teardown.If someone else has already reviewed the same product in a similar method then please use the initial thread to include your review. Please note if the gear was provide to you for free, loan, discount or if you paid full RRP.

I have used this shirt in temps around 16-33C for a couple of hundred ks now, walking in full sun, WITHOUT sunscreen and it is very good. I tested it first by putting my (clean) mouth to the inside of the shirt and breathing/blowing through it easily. I think this is as porous as you could get and remain (as I have) completely unburnt underneath. This shirt, NOT the other Columbia fishing shirts was the pick. By far the easiest movement of air! It has no mesh under the arms which is what I wanted. Mesh at upper back inside though. The material is very tough and so light. Fantastically cooling as far as that goes in the sun. I walk with the sleeves down and unbuttoned when the sun is low, no Sunscreen on hands or arms. I bought it on sale for about $60.As you would expect dries while you are looking at it. I have a favourite POLY/Cotton shirt from the opp shop which is as "breathable" and sun protective, dries as quick, has press studs (Miller shirt style for the oldies!) pretty spiffy looking cost me .99cents.I wear this with the airism mesh Tshirt I mentioned above.I wanted a changeover, (got the light grey) so after much checking I went with this.Given the hot weather is not finished this could be as great for you as it has been for me. It may swim on you, so best to try it on. I got a medium and it is a very roomy medium, the large, for reference, for me would have been equivalent to XL.I don't work for BCF and I paid with a members card which I got when I bought it. Summing up ; ultra porous, completely sun blocking (3 hours max time in sun so far-NO SScreen) weighs nothing,dries in a wink. If they lower the price I would buy another tomorrow.Cheers.

2 huge pockets with mesh back not cloth and velcro tabs which I dont like, the pale grey is very light if that helps. My other shirt is very dark, I feel no difference between them in the sun.When you hold the shirt up to the light you can see the technical, mesh type material. I put a Fauxdini over it in the morning if it is a bit coolish before it warms up.

Yes, but that is the only model I can vouch for. I did try the breath(Darth Vader) test on all that I could though and this model was the best. I know Columbia makes heaps of these fishing shirts. Please remember, 3 hours in the (full) sun was the maximum I can speak for, however I am feeling that 3 hours is a pretty good indicator. Hey Ribuck, remember they are huge, so if you can, try it on first. For reference I am 1.79m tall, 103cms chest and about 85kgs and the M is perfect (to my liking) for me. I would have no hesitation now in buying one online (AmazonUS anybody?) The word must have been out when I bought this as I got the last M from Waurn Ponds BCF in early December, they had Ls left but in some lets say, interesting colours! May have heaps now for all I know.

Moondog55 wrote:... was a little skeptical at the SPF rating given they looked so thin

Even if the "real" SPF is half that, I think it's still plenty.

I burn really easily on exposed skin, yet I've never burnt through any shirt, whether or not it was SPF-rated. A shirt offers much more consistent protection than rubbing in some sunblock, so I'm not surprised.

What is it like wearing when it's wet? Does it feel wet? My current shirt gets wet through sweat or rain but feels dryish/comfortable to the skin. It's not until you rub the shirt with your hand that you realize how wet it actually is.

I'm guessing the good review suggests it doesn't get clammy under the arms either. I've had that problem with other fishing shirts.

I have only felt it wet against my back when I first take off the rucksack. But as it fits loose, by the time I know what's going on it's dry. It feels really excellent against the skin (soft and ultra smooth) anytime I have worn it . I completely agree with what you said about not really knowing it's wet until you touch it. I should have added this fact.These things hold no water and I might add that I can rack up quite a few hours before any real smell.

MD-I don't see why not, but it has buttons and gaps so good/bad venting depends what you want BUT..... if you want a real BARGAIN it is the FAUXDINI (ebay)Please see my pretty detailed user review on the fauxdini on bpl -just put fauxdini into BPL search. I have seen you on there. BUT you must follow the exact (ebay) link. I will should check the link again if anyone's interested.Bought another about 8 weeks ago.This is what I would absolutely recommend.I am Graham on there. I did it last year so you have to trawl towards the end of about 10 pages I think, and I did a follow up after putting through some Nikwax last year and now own 3 of the buggers. I carry one everywhere. They are brilliant and are my go to windshirt and only $20. I thought I should have also put it on here but forgot. If you think I should copy and paste it here in the reviews yell out. I have an Arcteryx Squamish but prefer this (except for the hood) Cheers.

I have had one of these for a few months. I wear it in hot weather when it is likely to stay hot.It is a polyester weave and is extremely porous. I have worn it all day in strong alpine sun and it is definitely UV resistant. It dries quickly and has a massive fit. I have the small and it fits very loosely on my medium frame. The shirt is far more air porous than a nylon shirt so is far less clammy and hot in still or humid air. It has a soft dry feel against the skin and is very light to wear.The back of the shirt is already showing some pilling where my pack rubs but that’s just cosmetic. I can second Lamont’s recommendation as a good hot weather shirt but scrub tends to snag it.It isnt a wind shirt, air blows right through it.In variable conditions I tend not to use it as it do3snt layer well with the rest of my stuff which is more athletic fitting.

Sounds very much like my old PaddyMade Tech-sun shirts from the 80's/90's I'll see if any go on sale here now that the hot weather is fading awayThe Tech-suns however were cut to layer and I also used them in winter as a highly breathable mid-layer under the old Dry-Japara.

The only shirt I still recommend is the one in my original REVIEW post. It is proven (as best I can and in good faith) to do what I have said at the beginning. I now have about another 150ks on it, in full sun with no sunscreen under it, and it is going fine, still cool and sun-blocking as stated. I removed the dopey logos front and back and it looks like a normal shirt.As I said earlier though, I can vouch for ONLY this shirt. Should someone wish to do a review of another shirt I would very much like to read it. I tried all the others at BCF, this was the most porous and has proven sun-proof to me. I can recommend no others mentioned above by other posters.Given the monumental sun issues in this country I don't want someone to read these posts and assume I recommend all and everything and get burnt to a crisp.For example- "Look up technical fishing shirts etc" has nothing to do with me or my original post. Take care out there.